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Morning, gang.
Fallout from mounting Mark Robinson scandals continued this week with multiple polls showing the lieutenant governor and GOP gubernatorial hopeful trailing his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, by as much as 17 points.
Robinson, a Greensboro native, could be looking at a historic defeat following last month’s investigations by The Assembly and CNN into Robinson’s pre-politics years haunting local porn shops and making lewd and offensive comments on a pornographic website. Robinson has continued to strenuously deny the reporting, saying he is looking into legal action against CNN. But most of his campaign and legislative staff resigned following the revelations. Money and ad buys for his campaign have dried up and prominent GOP politicians, including former president Donald Trump, have distanced themselves or disavowed the candidate they once praised.
“It’s North Carolina, so I still think he’s going to get 40 percent,” said Pope “Mac” McCorkle, veteran political consultant and professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, in a conversation with The Thread this week. “I don’t know if he’ll get to 45 percent. But if any Republican can’t get to 40 percent in North Carolina, that’s a total unraveling.”
As Republicans worry Robinson could damage their candidates up and down the ballot in a key swing state, finger-pointing has begun within the state and national GOP. While some question whether anything could have prevented the meteoric ascendance and high-profile implosion of a largely unvetted candidate, others argue it was inevitable in the current political environment.
In its season premiere last week, Saturday Night Live had veteran cast member Kenan Thompson portray Robinson in a sketch that mocked his recent troubles and incredulous denials.
This week we’re bringing you a look at a minor mystery in the Robinson episode—the origins of the online name “minisoldr,” which Robinson has used for years across many online platforms.
We’re also taking a By The Numbers look at Greensboro’s workforce in a shifting economy, something we’ll keep a close eye on as companies like Toyota, Boom Supersonic, and Honda Aircraft reshape how we look at working life in Triad.
Let’s get into it.
— Joe Killian
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An Abiding Robinson Mystery: What’s a ‘Minisoldr’?
Many are wondering what the online handle tied to Republican candidate for governor Mark Robinson’s use of pornographic websites actually refers to. We attempted to figure it out.
Read this newsletter online or contact The Thread team with tips and feedback at greensboro@theassemblync.com.
By The Numbers:
Working Toward More and Better Jobs in Greensboro
Honda Aircraft. Toyota. Boom Supersonic.
These are just a few of the companies that have announced or ramped up production near Greensboro in the past few years. Taken together, they are—with the help of federal cash— solidifying the Triad region as an economy centered on advanced manufacturing, education, and healthcare.
An influx of high-paying, high-skill jobs could bring a much-needed boost to the local economy, helping it transition from its traditional reliance on textiles, furniture, and tobacco in favor of a new technology and manufacturing-oriented path. But increasing the number of employers and available jobs in the area is just one part of the equation.
Economic development experts say there also needs to be significant attention to building up the region’s workforce and ensuring that people have the skills and support needed to take the available work. As the local unemployment rate starts to creep back up, collaborative efforts between businesses, higher education, and local officials aimed at finding solutions to labor force needs are becoming increasingly important.
“We’re trying to help not only address and build technical skills but also the soft skills and the employability skills,” said Fred Henry Jr., deputy director for county workforce development board GuilfordWorks. “We’re also looking at that emerging workforce, someone who may have never had jobs.”
GuilfordWorks is one of several local groups helping people get to work, a challenge requiring a multi-pronged set of solutions.
There are thousands of local jobs available, but addressing unemployment isn’t as simple as putting every unemployed person into an open position. Things like skills, fit, and having the support necessary to take and actually keep a job matter as well.
Workforce development stakeholders say to truly close the gap and help people work, solutions must center on people who face significant barriers to employment. That includes parents dealing with high childcare costs, people looking to reenter the workforce after incarceration, those from historically marginalized communities, and young adults struggling to build the skills necessary to get their first well-paying position.
“If we don’t address it now, we’re not going to be ready,” said Melissa Smith, director of workforce development solutions for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. “We’re not going to have individuals ready for these jobs that are coming.”
As National Workforce Development Month comes to a close, The Thread is taking a By The Numbers look at the local workforce, using July 2024 data from the federal government and the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
5.2% – The unemployment rate in Guilford County as of July 2024. This is up from 3.6% in December 2023 and is higher than North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate, which is currently 3.7%.
259,775 – People in the local labor force. This includes people who currently have jobs and people who are unemployed and looking for work.
13,449 – People unemployed in Guilford County. But this comes with a caveat: unemployment numbers focus on people who are still actively looking for work and don’t capture people who drop out of the labor force entirely.
17,426 – Job openings in Guilford County. This includes positions with Cone Health, Guilford County Schools, and local colleges and universities.
— P.R. Lockhart
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What We’re Reading
Improvement at the IRC:
It was a summer of crisis at the Interactive Resource Center, which began as a day shelter for those experiencing homelessness but has been overwhelmed with increased need. After high-profile challenges and conflicts with neighbors and city council members, IRC leadership held a press conference last week to highlight recent improvements and kick off its annual fundraising effort. Triad City Beat has the story.
Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
Our thoughts are with our neighbors to the west this week after the widespread destruction of Hurricane Helene. The Assembly has coverage and information on how to help here.
Around the State
Western N.C. Lawmaker: “The Emergency is Still in Place”
A Q&A with state Sen. Timothy Moffitt on the $273 million relief package.
Helene Has Put New Stress On Asheville’s Unhoused Population
The area already faced rising housing prices and a growing number of people without homes.
On the Ground With Fort Liberty’s Storm Relief Teams
About 1,400 soldiers from the base are helping western North Carolina settle into a new normal.
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